


Raising

by wintercreek



Series: Singing the Journey 'Verse Moments. [7]
Category: Glee
Genre: Future Fic, Kid Fic, M/M, Original Character(s), Unitarian Universalism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-18
Updated: 2011-10-18
Packaged: 2017-10-24 17:45:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/266178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wintercreek/pseuds/wintercreek
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One fall morning in the future of the <em>Singing the Journey</em> 'verse, September 2038.</p><p><em>"Hi, Coco!" Kurt calls as he enters the RE wing.</em></p><p><em>"Papa," Cora whines. "Don't call me that!"</em></p>
            </blockquote>





	Raising

**Author's Note:**

> Timestamp ficlet for the [Singing the Journey](http://archiveofourown.org/series/11587) 'verse. Takes place in September 2038, twenty-one years after the end of _Singing the Journey._
> 
>  **Glossary:**  
>  "RE" stands for Religious Education, or Religious Exploration, depending on the congregation. There is not a set RE program for UUs; congregations determine their curricula individually.
> 
> "OWL" is the Our Whole Lives program, a curriculum developed by the UUA and UCC to provide lifetime sexuality education within the context of liberal religious communities. [The UUA's OWL page is here](http://www.uua.org/religiouseducation/curricula/ourwhole/).
> 
> The cochineal beetle is an insect native to Mexico, Central America and parts of South America from which red dye has historically been and is still currently made.

"Hi, Coco!" Kurt calls as he enters the RE wing.

"Papa," Cora whines. "Don't call me that!"

"Why not?" Kurt walks over to her and runs a hand over her hair. "Coco Chanel was a very elegant woman. And you, darling daughter, are a very elegant woman. Therefore..."

Cora puts her arms around his waist and tucks her head under his chin. "I appreciate the compliment," she says. "But it's not dignified to have a silly nickname."

"You need to be dignified now?" Kurt asks.

She pulls back to glare at him. "They're trusting me with people's children during the early service, Papa. It's an important job, and I want everyone in the congregation to take me seriously."

Blaine sees them from the foyer and comes to join them. "Hi, honey." He kisses Kurt hello. Turning to Cora, he says, "Cochineal Beetle."

"Oh my God, Dad," she huffs. "You're as bad as Papa. Worse, actually."

Blaine gives Kurt a wide-eyed look of dismay. "What did I do?"

"Coco— Sorry, sorry, _Cora's_ nervous about her first shift in the nursery," Kurt tells him. "She wants to be taken seriously. And that means no nicknames today."

"If you hadn't put red streaks in your hair, I wouldn't be calling you a cochineal beetle," Blaine points out to Cora, tugging gently on one of her highlights. The red does stand out vividly against her dark curls.

Cora frowns. "When you said I was welcome to do what I wanted with my hair as long as I'd thought through the consequences, you did _not_ point out that you were going to be calling me a bug afterwards."

Blaine smiles at her. "That's because I hadn't thought the nickname up yet!"

"I have to go," Cora says, exasperated and fond. "I don't want Mrs. Stronner to think she made a mistake choosing me." She kisses them each on the cheek and runs off down the hall.

"Can you believe it?" Kurt sighs. "Our baby's all grown up and looking after other people's babies. It feels like yesterday that she was two and making me miss half the service because she wouldn't behave for the nursery teens. And now she is one!"

"She's not all grown up yet," Blaine points out. "She's starting senior high OWL next month. When _that's_ done, she'll be all grown up." He considers this. "Oh God, and then she'll have sex."

Kurt laughs. "I don't think she'll have sex right away, sweetheart. There are some steps in the curriculum about careful and responsible decision making."

Blaine looks down at their shoes, and then sheepishly back up at Kurt again. "Yeah, and about other expressions of intimacy, I know. I remember our training."

"Thank goodness we don't have to do this alone," Kurt says. "I mean, my dad did a good job with the emotional part of the sex talk, and he gave me those pamphlets, but my experience was far from comprehensive. And yours— Well."

Blaine nods, a little sad. "The less said about my experience with that, the better." They stand there in silence for a moment before Blaine continues, "You're right. It's so good we don't have to do this alone. I like that we're giving our children better, you know?"

Kurt takes Blaine's hand. "I know. _And_ it's good that we don't have to be facilitators for any of _our_ children's OWL classes. Now," he says with a little tug, "we'd better hurry up or we'll be late for the service." He pulls Blaine out through the foyer and into the sanctuary.

Their children are all elsewhere in the congregation right now, Cora in the nursery and Gabriel on a retreat with the middle school RE class and Abigail sitting in the front row of the sanctuary, giggling with the other fifth graders after their overnight. Last night Kurt had almost felt like they were young-marrieds again, what with the lack of kids underfoot.

Blaine had grinned conspiratorially when Cora borrowed the car after dinner and left for an evening out. "Shall we fulfill our spousal duties to each other, husband mine?" he'd asked.

"I think we shall," Kurt had answered, and although they'd gone back to their bedroom and shut the door firmly, just in case, they hadn't had to try to be quiet. Kurt can't remember the last time he felt free to be vocal during sex.

After, they'd pulled pajamas on and settled in to watch a movie. They don't need to wait up for Cora – she's too responsible to miss her curfew – but Kurt likes to be there to hear about her evening, if she's in a talking mood when she gets home. He has so many memories of his dad waiting up for him. Blaine always agrees to stay up, too; after all, they both know it won't be long before Cora moves out for college.

Now they're here together, slipping into the empty seats a few rows back from Abigail's class, and the sense of playing hooky remains. All they have to worry about right now is who will hold the hymnal they'll sing out of, and who will pull out his wallet for the collection basket. Their family will gather together again this afternoon, and later, after homework and chores, they'll sit down to Sunday dinner together.

This is not the life they pictured when they were seventeen and first dreaming of New York, both of them filled with ambitious plans. It's different, and amazing in ways Kurt never could have pictured.

This morning's volunteer strikes the chimes at the front of the sanctuary, beginning the service, and Kurt settles in and prepares, once more, to be uplifted.


End file.
